


Catch Up

by asoulofstars



Series: A Mess You Would Wear With Pride [27]
Category: Psych (TV 2006)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Communication, Discussion of feelings, F/M, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:28:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27789763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asoulofstars/pseuds/asoulofstars
Summary: While Shawn's not *entirely* on the same page, he's getting there. Subtlety is also not a word either of them knows, so even though Riona didn't WANT to have this conversation for a bit, they're having it.
Relationships: Shawn Spencer/Original Female Character(s), Shawn Spencer/Riona Gallagher
Series: A Mess You Would Wear With Pride [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2028376
Kudos: 3





	Catch Up

**Author's Note:**

> This, once again, takes place between "Shawn Takes A Shot in the Dark" and "You Can't Handle This Episode".

Riona was in Shawn’s arms, a usual for them at this point, and she was tracing patterns against his skin. Namely stars. Shawn was playing with her hair, and she sighed contently.

“Talk to me,” Shawn said.

“That’s _my_ line,” she replied.

Shawn chuckled and gave her a squeeze. “Yeah, well, I get to use it when your thoughts are giving off enough energy to light this place.”

Riona smiled and sat up. “Um, just. I overheard your dad and Gus talking a bit more than they wanted me to.”

Shawn pushed himself up in a sitting position and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “What do you mean?”

“They kept talking about, well, _us_. And about how we have feelings for each other. And, you know, I definitely haven’t gotten over you by any means, and I’m not _trying_ to wait for you to catch up, but we also haven’t really talked about what we said on the phone when you got shot, and we’ve been feeling very in-between friends and more for a while now.” She chewed her bottom lip, hating how she’d been trying so hard not to push him, but as soon as he asked, she just word vomited. “And, I know that you would tell me if you were on the same page, and I don’t want to push you into anything you’re not ready for.”

Shawn took her hands and squeezed them. “Riona, you’re right. I would tell you the second I knew I was on the same page. But you’re not pushing me at all. And, there’s some things I still have to work out for myself, but I do see myself on the same page as you. I know that I told you not to wait for me, but that was when it was still…years out…that I thought I’d even possibly be there. But, now…if you’re willing to wait for me, I know it’s not going to be years out. I don’t know when exactly, but I wasn’t lying when I told you what I did. I did have a gun pointed at my head, and he was pretty much demanding I tell you that, but it wasn’t a lie. So, I’m getting there, Riona. And if you can wait for me to finish playing catch up, then I really am the luckiest man, but I don’t really see anyone else in my future besides you, romantically speaking. I’m done with flings and practicing and figuring things out. I just…I don’t trust myself right now to not hurt you, and I need to not be so scared before I actually ask you out.”

Riona could barely believe what she was hearing. She thought that _she_ was the one who was scared, so scared. But here he was, with his heart on his sleeve, and she knew that this raw honesty wasn’t something he showed to everyone.

“Shawn, of course I’ll wait. I told you that you would _always_ have another chance. My feelings weren’t just going to disappear. So, yeah, I can wait for you to catch up.”

“Thanks, Riona. I just…you mean the world to me. I really never thought I’d feel something for someone that rivals what I feel for Gus. But you’re just such a good person, and you are a great friend. You’re the first rays of sun after a storm. You’re that rainbow in the sky. You just make me happy, Ri.”

Riona couldn’t help the tears at this point, and she pulled her hands out of Shawn’s so that she could hug him. Her entire life, people had been leaving her, and now she had Shawn. Shawn who did the right thing and told her that he wasn’t in the same place, but that he still cared about her. Shawn who made sure that they were still friends, even when he was dating someone else. Shawn who always knew exactly what to say to make her feel important. Shawn who _stayed_. Shawn who _chose her_ , over and over again.

“Ri?” He held her tight, stroking her hair again.

“You mean so much to me, Shawn. I know that I fell too fast, and that I fell _hard_ , but you make me feel like I can do anything.”

“You _can_ do anything,” Shawn told her seriously. “I mean, look at what you _do_ , Riona. Someone with your history, someone with your _heart_ …most people wouldn’t be able to do what you do day in and day out. But you work on these cases; you give people closure. You spend your time when there’s not an active investigation working on cold cases or John Does and Jane Does just to make sure that no one has to live their lives without answers. And you do such a good job at putting your emotions into a box until you’re not at work, and I just don’t know how you manage to do all the things you do and still _believe_ in people like you do.”

Riona looked up at him. “You believe in people just as much as I do.”

Shawn smiled. “Thanks for that. That’s a major compliment.”

Riona smiled back. “How do you always manage to make me feel so good? About everything?”

Shawn held her tighter. “Just emphasizing the feelings you give me,” he told her. “I can’t wait until I’m completely caught up.”

“Thanks for making me talk,” she whispered.

“Thanks for always making me feel like I can say what’s on my mind.” He nuzzled her.

Riona just held him tight, counting the stars she could see out his window to thank her luck on every single one of them. She was still crying a little bit, but he just stroked her hair.


End file.
